This Is Why 23 Educators Are Travelling Overnight From Mildura To Melbourne This Friday

This Is Why 23 Educators Are Travelling Overnight From Mildura To Melbourne This Friday

Posted by Big Steps Campaign0sc on May 25, 2017

Being an early childhood educator is one of Australia’s most important jobs. But some of us are paid as little as $20 an hour.

That's why we've been hitting the streets and chaining ourselves to government buildings. This year, we even staged the largest early childhood walk-off in Australian history.

Thousands of educators have been standing up and demanding action. Educators just like Rav.

This is her story.

Rav is an educator in Mildura, a regional city 550kms north of Melbourne. Last year, Rav travelled overnight to come to her first union rally. She met HUNDREDS of other educators standing up for equal pay.

She even told her story to the media. She was all over the news that night. Her message was clear: she was there because educators are chronically undervalued, simply because our job is seen as "women's work". And she is ready to fight for change.

But since then, our fight for equal pay has got bigger, louder and stronger. Two weeks ago when Malcolm Turnbull announced his budget, he didn’t put a single cent towards valuing our work. He could have funded equal pay, but instead he gave tax breaks to big business.

So this Saturday, HUNDREDS of educators across Victoria are hitting the streets of Melbourne to say it’s just not good enough. We’re coming from all over the state to stand together and speak with one big, strong union voice to say: a responsible government would have already fixed this injustice.

Because Rav and her co-delegate, Anne, were so inspired by the last rally and the walk-offs, they have signed up their workplace to our union!

And this time, they are all coming to rally too!

A whole busload of educators from Mildura are travelling 543 kilometres overnight to hit the streets on Saturday.They are fired up as hell and ready to yell their lungs out.

Why? Because we need fix this injustice. No more excuses. Let's do it. NOW!

But we will only win by standing together - by joining our union, and taking STRONG action.

So whether you're an educator, a parent or family member, or you just think it's outrageous that educators are still being $20 an hour, and you're in Victoria - join us this weekend and demand the government fix this injustice.

The Walk With Educators (Big Steps Family Day) is this Saturday May 27 at 11AM in central Melbourne.

We’re meeting at Parliament Steps and walking down to Treasury Gardens, where there will be a BBQ and lots of activities – so kids are welcome! Find out more here.